Toyota RAV4 reviews

2003 Toyota RAV4 Interior Features

Getting in and out of the Toyota RAV4 is easy thanks to the low floor. Once in, you'll find a roomy cabin.

Legroom is ample, and the driver's footrest allows even more stretch. The front bucket seats fit nicely, and the gray leather with dimpled black trim in our test vehicle was classy. The seats are narrow at the hips, but we didn't feel squeezed. The seating position feels confidently high and offers excellent visibility forward, although the spare tire intrudes into the view out the rear. The tidy three-spoke leather-wrapped energy-absorbing urethane steering wheel tilted perfectly into place for drivers 4'-10" and 5'-10".

Instruments are easy to read and the instrument panel is handsome, trimmed as ours was in titanium. By day, the gauges are a sort of metallic off-white, and by night they glow sort of orange. Admittedly, these aren't quite as legible as boring old white-on-black gauges. Directly ahead are three circles: speedo on left, temp/fuel/warning lights and gear indicator on the right, and nicely balanced between and above them in a smaller circle is the neat-looking tach.

Climate controls are mercifully simple. You got on, you got off, you got fan speed, you got blue for cold, red for hot; what else do you need? There's a stubby stalk for the cruise control on the steering wheel, under the wiper stalk on the left side of the steering column. There are two big cup holders forward of the natty leather-wrapped E-brake lever between the seats, an accessory power outlet, and a small space near the console that's intended for change but big enough for cell phones. In the rear as in the front are two cup holders and one power outlet.

Storage compartments are provided on both sides of the cargo bay as well as under its floor. There's a net pocket on the rear door, pockets in all four doors, and a sunglasses holder under the steering wheel. Visors are fitted with extensions and illuminated vanity mirrors.

With the 50/50 split bench rear seats removed, there's 68.3 cubic feet of cargo volume available. The low load floor means it's easy to load groceries or gear without excessive effort or back strain. We found the cargo cover constantly in the way. But it features a nice two-piece pullout design that makes it easy to remove.